diff --git a/impl/src/main/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/StateUtils.java b/impl/src/main/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/StateUtils.java
index 91406fa..b40be1a 100644
--- a/impl/src/main/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/StateUtils.java
+++ b/impl/src/main/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/StateUtils.java
@@ -202,6 +202,43 @@
         }
     }
     
+    public static Cipher createCipher(ExternalContext externalContext, int mode) throws Exception
+    {
+        SecretKey secretKey = (SecretKey) getSecret(externalContext);
+        String algorithm = findAlgorithm(externalContext);
+        String algorithmParams = findAlgorithmParams(externalContext);
+        byte[] iv = findInitializationVector(externalContext);
+
+        Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance(algorithm + '/' + algorithmParams);
+        if (iv != null)
+        {
+            IvParameterSpec ivSpec = new IvParameterSpec(iv);
+            cipher.init(mode, secretKey, ivSpec);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            cipher.init(mode, secretKey);
+        }
+
+        if (log.isLoggable(Level.FINE))
+        {
+            log.fine("de/encrypting with " + algorithm + '/' + algorithmParams);
+        }
+
+        return cipher;
+    }
+    
+    public static Mac createMac(ExternalContext externalContext) throws Exception
+    {
+        SecretKey macSecretKey = (SecretKey) getMacSecret(externalContext);
+        String macAlgorithm = findMacAlgorithm(externalContext);
+        
+        Mac mac = Mac.getInstance(macAlgorithm);
+        mac.init(macSecretKey);
+
+        return mac;
+    }
+    
     public static boolean enableCompression(ExternalContext externalContext)
     {
         Assert.notNull(externalContext, "externalContext");
@@ -280,35 +317,12 @@
         Assert.notNull(externalContext, "externalContext");
 
         testConfiguration(externalContext);
-        
-        SecretKey secretKey = (SecretKey) getSecret(externalContext);
-        String algorithm = findAlgorithm(externalContext);
-        String algorithmParams = findAlgorithmParams(externalContext);
-        byte[] iv = findInitializationVector(externalContext);
-        
-        SecretKey macSecretKey = (SecretKey) getMacSecret(externalContext);
-        String macAlgorithm = findMacAlgorithm(externalContext);
-                
+
         try
         {
-            // keep local to avoid threading issue
-            Mac mac = Mac.getInstance(macAlgorithm);
-            mac.init(macSecretKey);
-            Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance(algorithm + '/' + algorithmParams);
-            if (iv != null)
-            {
-                IvParameterSpec ivSpec = new IvParameterSpec(iv);
-                cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, secretKey, ivSpec);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, secretKey);
-            }
-            if (log.isLoggable(Level.FINE))
-            {
-                log.fine("encrypting w/ " + algorithm + '/' + algorithmParams);
-            }
-            
+            Mac mac = createMac(externalContext);
+            Cipher cipher = createCipher(externalContext, Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE);
+
             //EtM Composition Approach
             int macLenght = mac.getMacLength();
             byte[] secure = new byte[cipher.getOutputSize(insecure.length)+ macLenght];
@@ -428,34 +442,11 @@
         Assert.notNull(externalContext, "externalContext");
 
         testConfiguration(externalContext);
-                
-        SecretKey secretKey = (SecretKey) getSecret(externalContext);
-        String algorithm = findAlgorithm(externalContext);
-        String algorithmParams = findAlgorithmParams(externalContext);
-        byte[] iv = findInitializationVector(externalContext);
-        
-        SecretKey macSecretKey = (SecretKey) getMacSecret(externalContext);
-        String macAlgorithm = findMacAlgorithm(externalContext);
 
         try
         {
-            // keep local to avoid threading issue
-            Mac mac = Mac.getInstance(macAlgorithm);
-            mac.init(macSecretKey);
-            Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance(algorithm + '/' + algorithmParams);
-            if (iv != null)
-            {
-                IvParameterSpec ivSpec = new IvParameterSpec(iv);
-                cipher.init(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE, secretKey, ivSpec);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                cipher.init(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE, secretKey);
-            }
-            if (log.isLoggable(Level.FINE))
-            {
-                log.fine("decrypting w/ " + algorithm + '/' + algorithmParams);
-            }
+            Mac mac = createMac(externalContext);
+            Cipher cipher = createCipher(externalContext, Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE);
 
             //EtM Composition Approach
             int macLenght = mac.getMacLength();
diff --git a/impl/src/test/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/SecretKeyConfigurationTest.java b/impl/src/test/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/SecretKeyConfigurationTest.java
index 9490884..ac5d8a0 100644
--- a/impl/src/test/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/SecretKeyConfigurationTest.java
+++ b/impl/src/test/java/org/apache/myfaces/application/viewstate/SecretKeyConfigurationTest.java
@@ -17,22 +17,17 @@
 
 package org.apache.myfaces.application.viewstate;
 
-import org.apache.myfaces.application.viewstate.StateUtils;
 import org.apache.myfaces.test.base.AbstractJsfTestCase;
+import org.junit.Test;
 
 public class SecretKeyConfigurationTest extends AbstractJsfTestCase
 {
-
     public SecretKeyConfigurationTest(String name)
     {
         super(name);
     }
-    
-    // No longer necessary using junit 4 to run tests
-    //public static Test suite() {
-    //    return null; // keep this method or maven won't run it
-    //}
-    
+
+    @Override
     public void setUp() throws Exception
     {
         super.setUp();
@@ -41,17 +36,19 @@
         
     }
 
+    @Test
     public void testMissingSecretKeyEncrypt(){
         
         try{
             StateUtils.encrypt("serialized objects".getBytes(), externalContext);
             fail("An exception should be thrown if there" +
                     " is no SecretKey in application scope and cacheing is enabled ");
-        }catch(NullPointerException e){
+        }catch(Exception e){
         }
         
     }
     
+    @Test
     public void testNonSecretKeyEncrypt(){
         
         servletContext.setAttribute(StateUtils.INIT_SECRET_KEY_CACHE, new Integer(8));
@@ -61,25 +58,31 @@
             StateUtils.encrypt("serialized objects".getBytes(), externalContext);
             fail("An exception should be thrown if there" +
                     " is no SecretKey in application scope and cacheing is enabled ");
-        }catch(ClassCastException cce){
+        }catch(Exception cce){
         }
         
     }
     
+    @Test
     public void testMissingSecretKeyDecrypt(){
         
         boolean npeThrown = false;
         
         try{
             StateUtils.decrypt("serialized objects".getBytes(), externalContext);
-        }catch(NullPointerException e){
-            npeThrown = true;
+        }
+        catch(Exception e){
+            if (e.getCause() instanceof NullPointerException)
+            {
+                npeThrown = true;
+            }
         }
         
         assertTrue("An exception should be thrown if there" +
                 " is no SecretKey in application scope and cacheing is enabled ", npeThrown);
     }
     
+    @Test
     public void testNonSecretKeyDecrypt(){
         
         servletContext.setAttribute(StateUtils.INIT_SECRET_KEY_CACHE, new Integer(8));
@@ -89,7 +92,7 @@
             StateUtils.decrypt("serialized objects".getBytes(), externalContext);
             fail("An exception should be thrown if there" +
                     " is no SecretKey in application scope and cacheing is enabled ");
-        }catch(ClassCastException cce){
+        }catch(Exception cce){
         }
         
     }